B’nai B’rith International welcomes President Obama’s comments this weekend at the AIPAC conference in Washington that underscored the administration’s continued support for Israel’s security and right to defend itself, saying “when the chips are down, I have Israel’s back.”

The president reiterated that an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement cannot be reached if there are “any efforts to short-cut negotiations or impose an agreement on the parties”—noting that the Palestinians “must recognize Israel’s right to exist and reject violence and adhere to existing agreements.”

Emphasizing that Iran is a crucial Israeli security threat, the president restated the importance of preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, saying: “A nuclear-armed Iran is completely counter to Israel’s security interests. But it is also counter to the national security interests of the United States.”

While the President pressed his view that more time needs to be given on sanctions against Iran, he said “Israel must always have the ability to defend itself, by itself, against any threat.”

As President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meet today in Washington, B’nai B’rith is hopeful that they can agree on a solid strategy going forward on Iran.